Electrical resistance



H; P. BARNES- ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE 9,191?- Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

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HIRAM P. BARNES, OF LAPORTE, INDIANA.

ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 9, 1917. Serial No. 173,907.

, thereof;

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will behest understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, and in which, I

a Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a. lighting system embodying my invention, and

Fig. 2. an enlarged detail view of a resistance box employed in the system.

The preferred form .ofconstruction as illustrated in the drawings, comprises, a resistance box or casing 3 having perforated lugs 4 thereon for mounting the same on the dashboard, or other convenient location. of an ordinaryautomobile. The resistance box 3 is providedwith opposed binding posts 5, 6, 7 8, 9 and 10 connected by resistance coils 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 within box 3. .A'doublethrow switch 16 is also installed in the system, the movable arm 17 of said switch being connected by means of a wire 18 with the socket or other connection 19 leading to the usual magneto or other source of current.

for the lighting system. One of the points 20 of the switch 16 is connected by means of a. wire 21 with the ordinary headlights 22 on the automobile. the other terminals of said lights being grounded as indicated. The. other point 23 of the switch 16 is connected by means of a wire 24 with one of the binding posts 6. 7, S. 9 or 10 as desired. the other binding post 5 being connected by wire ES-with the wire 21 and thence with the lights 22.

By this arrangement. it will be observed that. when the switch arm 17 is thrown into contact with the switch point the circuit is direct from the socket 19 through the lights 22 to the ground, thus exciting said lights with their full brilliancy. However,

when the switch arm 17 is thrown into connection with the other switch point 23, the

circuit from the socket 19 is through one or more of the resistance coils in the resistance box 3, thence through the lights 22 to the ground. The resistance thus introduced into the circuit, serves to dim the lights 22 and thus reduce their brilliancy to render their use unobjectionable in meeting or passing pedestrians or other vehicles. By shifting the wire 2-1 to. one or the other of the binding posts 6, 7, 8. 9 or 10, more or less resist- Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

ance may be employed and the device readily adjusted to difl'erent systems as desired. When the switch arm 17- is thrown to central or neutral position. the lights are out.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into efl'ect, this is capa- I ble of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore. do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described myinvention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A variable resistance for electric lighting systems comprising a casing; two sets of three binding posts each on opposite walls of said casing arranged in transversely alining pairs; a. resistance coil extending between the members of each pair of binding posts; an intermediate resistance coil extending from the end binding post on one side of the casing to the intermediate binding post on the other side of the casing: and a. second intermediate resistance 'coil extending from the opposite intermediate binding post to the end binding post on the opposite side of said casing. substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HIRAM P. BABIES.

'itnesses EARL Htrr. Xonuax F. WOLFE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. O. 

